


catty on mane

by dinosuns



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bittersweet, Conversations, Friendship, Gen, Jealousy, Mind Meld, Nostalgia, Post-Season/Series 06, Space Road Trip, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, bad humour, everyone loves keith, red is always a good kitty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 11:31:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15290610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinosuns/pseuds/dinosuns
Summary: “Good boy.” Keith crouches down only to almost fall over in alarm from the disgruntled growl breaking behind them. The sound is strong and potent enough to shake the earth beneath their feet. Sat a few feet away is the red lion, back arched and definitely not in a playful way.It’s not an exaggeration, but Keith swears he can smell something burning.--Keith has a new good boy.The good kitty is not impressed.





	catty on mane

**Author's Note:**

> this was so fun to write i hope you enjoy!!

Rekia is a humble-sized planet in the Ottim system, with vast rocky planes covering most of its surface. In fact, the closer they approach, the more Keith is reminded of the planet he and Shiro found themselves stranded on once. Sure, it’s not the same as the planet they were spat out of the wormhole onto. But it’s close enough for Keith to urge Pidge to run her perimeter scan an extra two times. Just in case, is what Keith settles for as an excuse each time she asks. Because honestly, the last thing they need is a run-in with any scaly predators.

Beneath his fingers, the black lion seems morbidly amused by his wandering thoughts. That catches him off guard, if just for a moment. Keith has yet to be truly accustomed to how the black lion operates - at times, that can make Black seem unpredictable. Amongst incredible power and precision, it also seems to have a particularly wicked sense of humour. It’s assessments are both dynamic and calculated, not without true consideration. Thus, deeming Keith’s concern as illogical comes with some jest. Keith’s unsure what the limits are yet, how far their bond stretches for him to push.

So instead of anything verbal, he flicks the controls sharply with a finger. The black lion jolts a little in response, as if it actually had enough force to do any damage - which is a lie, and melodramatic. Raising an eyebrow, Keith pouts indignantly. And so the lion does it again, probably because it wants a reaction. The movement is subtle, closer to an idle rocking. It’s not hard to understand why the response is so understated.

They’re both protectors, guarding something precious together. Shiro is currently asleep, deserving all the peace and quiet in the universe. To break that would be an unforgivable crime. A smile touches Keith’s lips, he thumbs over the spot he flicked.

“We’ll stop here,” he affirms through the comms as the black lion lands on the rocky terrain. The air is breathable without helmets, that’ll be a pleasant surprise for everybody.

Before disconnecting, there’s the audible sigh of relief from Hunk and a hum of acknowledgement from the other weary paladins. This is their third pitstop, and they’re only getting more exhausted each time they set off again into the stars. With a frown, Keith leans back. It’s hard not to sink into it, let himself ebb into obscurity in this seat. But he has people to look out for that are depending on him, a team to check up on. They need him, Shiro does. That rekindles the fire. In one swift motion, Keith propels himself to his feet, almost barrelling straight into Krolia. She steadies him quietly, unfazed by the sudden movement.

“Sorry,” he stammers, ‘mum’ dancing on his tongue out of grasp. It’s passed between them nowadays, just not yet sparingly. Glancing past her shoulder, Keith catches sight of Shiro. Safe and sound, but that restless concern churns in his gut, impossible to set aside. Keith cocks his head towards Shiro, arms folded. “How’s he holding up?”  

“Provided he continues to rest, he will be fine.” Krolia’s expression crumples into something troubled as their eyes meet. It’s uncomfortable, somehow far too knowing. But it’s something Keith knows he has no chance of hiding from anymore. Two years tugged them into each other’s orbit, fixed the gravity. Besides he’s a terrible liar, and evasion rarely works well in his favour. “You look tired, Keith.”

With a shrug that sits too heavy on his shoulders, Keith hums in response. He is tired. But it’s not comparable to how Shiro must be feeling. _I died, Keith._ Not to mention, the rest of the team are also pushed to the brink. Everyone is giving this trip their full devotion, running on low juice with limited refills.

Shadow appears beside him, licking his hand. That immediately restores his spirits, gives Keith some incentive to stretch his legs and leave the cockpit for a while. During those two years riding a different wave of time, the pair of them had taken walks on the marked route. They’d scouted the perimeter, hunted for food, had many adventures. Going from that routine to such an inconsistent one is bound to leave Shadow desperate to let off some steam right about now.

The cockpit opens, Shadow charging out only to materialise right back by Keith’s side because he doesn’t move. Finds he can’t move, in fact. With a whine, Shadow nudges into his thigh. Keith absently reaches to stroke, but his eyes are fixed on Shiro. He’s a man of the stars, forged and fractured in them. Sometimes Keith has a pressing fear that the longer he looks away, the more he’s tempting fate to steal him again.

It’s irrational, maybe. This time, the black lion doesn’t find any amusement in it.

“I’ll keep watch,” Krolia assures, once again proving this innate ability to know without words being spoken. Right then.

Nodding, Keith turns his attention towards Rekia’s surface. Shadow bounds by his side excitedly, and that’s enough for Keith to break into a grin - wolfishly of all things. His pace quickens down the steps, soon chasing after Shadow who zaps a few metres ahead. They’re kindred spirits in a way, brilliantly matched. Words aren’t necessary, but Shadow listens to everything Keith has to say. They can coexist in tandem, without any expectations or uncertainty. It’s nice, nicer than he imagined it to be. And boy, as a kid watching the dogs in the park and cats on the street, did he long for a connection like this. Nature has always been welcoming, a friend. He will always be grateful for its presence in the absence of so much.  

Pidge and Hunk are huddled together around a laptop placed on a large stone slab, Keith can hear the enthusiasm in their voices from here. He supposes even if he got closer, it wouldn’t make much difference. Science jargon, undoubtedly. Romelle is perched beside the blue lion, offering Allura a quiet wave when she exits the cockpit. The lions are parked close enough to each other in the event of an emergency, but Keith hopes it won’t come to that. Begs some higher being he cannot name or truly fathom. Forming Voltron could be a risk to everyone’s health, even the lion’s. The thought of facing formidable opponents out here is tough to shake off, especially when the prospect of it is jarring - too real. It loiters where it doesn’t belong, whipping whirlwinds in his mind.

Threats may present themselves everywhere, and they’ve been out here long enough to realise that the Galra Empire is not always going to be responsible for that threat either. As defenders of the universe, they have to be prepared for that. They have to be prepared for everything. But before that, they have to be capable of defending themselves.

Currently, they are not.

Shadow nudges Keith from behind playfully, knocking his thoughts out of place. By the time Keith looks back, the wolf has disappeared.

“Huh, I wonder where Shadow went?” Keith muses aloud, purely to play along. As expected, the bait is taken. With a ragged breath, Keith hits the ground, pinned by the wolf. It’s unlikely, but Keith is still holding out for the day he’ll be able to sense where Shadow materialises. Raising a hand, he surrenders. “Alright,” a lick across his face has Keith squirming against the ground to shield his face. The slobber is a little disgusting, but Keith can’t find it in himself to be annoyed about it. This wolf is woven into his heart, he wouldn’t have it any other way. “Alright! You - you got me.”

Shadow hops off Keith contentedly, waiting eagerly for their next game. Apparently, that can’t come soon enough and Shadow has a new target. The wolf flickers in and out of focus between Pidge and Hunk, at a pace neither paladin can hope to beat. Rolling his eyes fondly, Keith watches Pidge type frantically into the laptop, studying every jump Shadow makes. Then Pidge lunges - it’s a disaster.

Her spontaneous research is wasted, as she topples into Hunk instead of catching the wolf. Presumably, that had been the intention. The green and yellow paladin detangle themselves rapidly, Shadow materialising behind them. Romelle laughs, falling back against the blue lion at the spectacle. That earns attention of her own, the wolf appearing just to lick her cheek before dissolving into oblivion again.

Keith shakes his head fondly. It’s been a while since they did this, caught a break together. The only logical thing to do on a remote, desolate planet is to indulge it whilst that’s possible. They may not be so fortunate on the next planet, meaning Shadow may not have the chance to run around like this for some time.

One vargas passes alarmingly fast. The sky is growing a tranquil shade of pink, clouds above dusted with a sprinkling of orange. Hunk leaves to take a nap inside Yellow, Coran comes out to sit with Romelle. Besides that, not much changes. Krolia confirms Shiro is still sleeping. No matter how beautiful this planet is, Keith can’t bring himself to disrupt that rest. In contrast, Shadow is still full of energy. Now the paladins have become engrossed in their own activities, Shadow’s attention has moved onto the next thing.  

Considering they’re magical sentient robot lions, Yellow and Green get on surprisingly well with Shadow. Green is curious and inquisitive, poking Shadow with its paw and trying to catch the wolf each time it teleports just out of reach. Yellow is calm and patient. It doesn’t seem to have any problem with Shadow materialising on top of its head or licking a big wet streak up its side. Blue seems to be happy just watching from the sidelines with Romelle and Allura, but a closer look reveals that’s not exactly the truth. There’s a playful flick of her tail, in bold movements which can be no mistake. Of course, it catches Shadow’s attention, who chases it to no avail. Even the black lion is tolerant. Whilst not engaging in any of the socialising, it has no problem with the extra passenger.

Then there’s Red.

Something far too tangible to name bursts in Keith’s chest abruptly. It’s harder to swallow down. He tries to, anyway. The lions are in his peripheral as he walks in a restless circle, but the tentative distance doesn’t solve the problem either. God, he knows that, it’s been proven. Red always came for him, no matter how far. Clicking his tongue, Keith winces as he passes by Red. Shadow follows, Red greets neither of them. With a little too much force, he throws a stick from a barren tree nearby for Shadow to fetch. Fist clenched, he sighs.

Keith had heard the myth that cats and dogs were mortal enemies many times in conversations on earth. But he never thought much into it. It’s not like he had any context for it anyway. Especially as, despite how much he wanted a pet growing up, that was never going to be a reality with his circumstances. So it became more of an elusive phrase he didn’t entirely understand.

Since their downtime on Rekia, however, Keith wonders if there could be some truth to this. It’s clear now, out of all the lions, Red is the only one left to acknowledge his wolf’s existence. Or even say hello. And then there’s the fact Lance has yet to show himself. They must be bonding together, or talking - maybe Lance is just sleeping. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal, it shouldn’t leave his skin prickly, but the combination of this does more than he wants to admit. And as much as Keith attempts to bury the unmistakable energy prodding on every vein, gnawing into his bones, he can’t.

Red is still in his blood, a breathing and living part of him.

Maybe that’s a mutual feeling. Or, understandably, it’s been severed by time and situation. Lance deserves to have a permanent space. He’s earned his place there and he’s integral to the team. Red trusts him, chose him to be a pilot when Keith took the mantle of the black lion. Keith would never begrudge that. But that doesn’t change the underlying poignancy of the foundations that bond built itself upon.

_Theirs._

Shadow retrieving the stick draws Keith from the unsettling revelations. At first, Keith can hardly believe what he’s seeing. Two years and counting, it finally happened. 

“Haha! Yeah!” Keith cries out triumphantly. His smile that only grows wider when the stick is set down by his feet. It’s an unbelievably satisfying moment, the elation thrumming through him is probably a little embarrassing but Keith isn’t worried about the others. Everyone is taking this time to let loose and have some downtime, nobody is watching.

“Good boy.” Patting his wolf on the head with enthusiasm, Keith crouches down only to almost fall over in alarm from the disgruntled growl breaking behind them. The sound is strong and potent enough to shake the earth beneath their feet. Stumbling clumsily, Keith glances over his shoulder. Sat a few feet away is the red lion, back arched and definitely not in a playful way.

It’s not an exaggeration, but Keith swears he can smell something burning.

Moments later, Lance comes rushing out the cockpit. Smoke billows from behind him as he splutters violently. Ah, so something had been burning then - the cockpit. Their eyes meet, and Keith is never someone to turn his back or hide from any confrontation, but Lance’s expression is nothing short of murderous.

“Oh my god, Keith!! You-” doubling over to gasp for air, Lance points a finger accusingly towards Keith. That’s nothing new. And the action is hardly threatening considering it’s paired with bloodshot eyes and flushed skin. Regardless, curiosity is piqued. Red just set the cockpit on fire, after all. “You just had to say it didn’t you?!”

Keith blinks, glancing between Lance and Red in confusion.

“Say- say what?” he asks blankly. That appears to be the catalyst for Red’s second outburst. Sensing his gaze, the red lion makes a noise similar to a huff. It sits up, merely to turn its back on them. Oh dear.

“Come on, don’t ‘say what’ me, Keith!” Lance sticks his nose up, arms folded indignantly. “You know exactly what you said.”

No, Keith doesn’t. Frustration nips at the final shreds of patience until it splinters. Fist clenched, Keith narrows his eyes. Words become clipped. 

“Look. Lance. I - I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you just knock it off and tell me what’s going on?” Pause. Then, a hastily tacked on “Please.”

Lance goes quiet, considers him for a moment. And then his shoulders slump as he heaves all the air out his lungs in one dramatic sigh. Wow. Okay.

“Geez, you really don’t know do you? Ah man, I can’t believe I’m doing this...” Leaning forwards, Lance lowers his voice. His eyes flick back to Red carefully. The next thing he says is so meshed together and hushed Keith can hardly tell one word apart from the other. Whatever he's saying, he wants it over with fast. 

“I can’t hear you,” Keith says, unsure why he's also whispering.

Lance repeats it, exactly the same. Eyebrows furrowing, Keith scowls. This is getting silly.  
  
“I still can’t hear you, Lance."

Jolting backwards, Lance spins on his heel. He looks beyond exasperated as he drags one hand down his face. Then, come the most unexpected words.

“Red is your good kitty.”

Keith falters. He tries for something, and gets nothing. He goes for coy, it’s a mistake. 

“What did you say?”

Keith gets a glare in response, which makes it difficult to hide his grin because now it’s sunken in. Yeah, Lance really did just say that. 

“No, no, no, no. No! You think you’re so funny and cool and mysterious, but you’re not Keith. And guess what Keith? I’m putting my foot down, Keith. ” Lance stamps a foot, for emphasis. He seems to be doing a lot of things for emphasis, actually. “Did you see that, Keith-?”

“-Yeah. I did,” Keith confirms. A frown curls around his lips. “Stop saying Keith-”

“What else am I supposed to call you?!”

“Commander,” Keith ventures facetiously, mostly because pushing Lance’s buttons is a rare opportunity he cannot pass up on. It’s not often the tables are turned this way. So when there’s a chance to be a little petty in good sport, he’ll absolutely take it. The look on Lance’s face is entirely worth it. Raw, genuine betrayal and stunned pinprick pupils. He doesn’t catch the underlying amusement in Keith’s voice, which makes it funnier. For one single moment, Keith indulges himself. With a shrug, he averts his gaze. “Or captain, chief-”   

“-Okay that’s it.” Hands slicing through the air, Lance draws a literal line over this conversation. In case that wasn’t abundantly clear, he repeats the action again. Then once more. It’s a bizarre chop, the more Keith thinks about it. “I’m out of here, Keith!” Before making his grand exit, Lance gestures between Red and Keith with two fingers. The lion’s back is still turned. “I can't take more of this, you two need to talk. Come on, Naruto.”

Something horrible happens next, and it’s truly terrifying. Keith can’t believe what he’s seeing. His wolf responds to the name and follows Lance to where the others have congregated. If Lance ever gets a space animal companion, Keith is going to train it in the dead of night - in secret - to respond only to waluigi. It’s only fair, getting even. His acquired skills in espionage with the blade of Marmora will finally serve a greater, higher purpose. Kolivan was right, nothing will be more important than this mission should it ever arise.

But right now, Keith has more pressing concerns to deal with. Red. Unsure where to place himself, Keith stares. The paint on Red’s back is glistening more than it should be, as if the lion is caught in the heart of a sun - not a handful of planets away from it. As Keith inches closer, he hears it. Red is sizzling. In fact, the paint around the paws is beginning to crack under the heat building. Beneath them, Keith wouldn’t be surprised to find charred rock. Lance’s words come back to Keith, then. Realisation hits. fast and without mercy. Oh. 

Keith called Shadow a good boy.

 _Good kitty_.

Red is jealous. Red told Lance about it. The red lion, an ethereal magical creature, told Lance how it's jealous of a cosmic wolf less than half its size. It’s a little ridiculous, the more Keith dwells on it. But convincing Red of that isn’t going to be easy. Keith knows Red, is familiar to the fire that burns within this lion. He’s attuned to that energy, still undeniably lured towards it. Posture straightening, Keith decides to try a more diplomatic approach. It’s worth a shot, even if he already knows it won’t work, for old time’s sake.

“Hey, Red. It’s me, Keith.” _Your buddy_.

A fond smile tickles Keith’s lips at the memory. Their first meeting, in the hangar of a Galra ship. Red had called to him, he felt it rattling his bones and searing onto his skin. And it’s crushing, that they may not be bound by destiny in that way anymore. It’s not unwritten, rather rewritten. But that doesn’t mean Keith doesn’t care for red, doesn’t still miss the way they conquered any sky no matter what obstacles were in their way. Even now, there’s a yearn to fly again in that brazen brave way they used to. A little reckless at times, daringly chasing new speeds. Every impulse satiated, every instinct perfectly matched. It’s more than nostalgia that lingers here, a little too poignant for it.

“I know you can hear me, Red.” _I know you can sense it._

Red lifts its chin pointedly, revealing it can hear him but has no intention of listening. No, not pointedly - proudly. And that says everything.

“Red, come on. Just - just hear me out!” His words are drowned out by a low grumble. That’s just rude, honestly. Pursing his lips together, Keith tries yet again a different angle. A compromise. Red always liked people to earn its respect and trust. The fact Keith might have lost that over time sets ablaze a rare and raw form of panic nothing can distil. It has his syllables breaking awkwardly, voice cracking at the edges.

"Alright, listen. I... know you’re mad, I - I’m sorry, okay? You’re still a... good kitty.” _The best kitty,_ of course. But Keith isn’t about to risk upsetting more than one lion today. Red still looks on the verge of breathing fire, and having no remorse for where it lands. Keith would very much like to remain in a fire-free zone currently, thank you. This is beyond making amends now, or damage control. Sighing, Keith sits down on one of the jagged rocks beside the red lion.

“You know, Shadow isn’t the enemy.” _Isn’t your enemy_ , goes unspoken. Red is quiet, but it’s too soon to tell if that’s a good thing or not. Silence is not synonymous with accord. “When I found Shadow, he was surrounded by things that wanted to hurt him. If I hadn’t been there, he would’ve been in big trouble.” Pause. “Maybe he would’ve died.”

Red makes a sound, unimpressed, that goes ignored because it’s all for show now. Keith knows better than to fall for it. Glancing up at the lion, Keith raises an eyebrow.

“Sound familiar?"

He’s met with a disgruntled sound, indicating he’s hit a nerve. It is familiar. Red is bristled, in that way that occurs only when Keith makes sense on something they don’t agree on. Rare, but it’s happened and they’re both stubborn enough to wait for one party to yield. This time, Keith has no option of yielding. Lance is right, they really have to talk about this.

Keith recalls drifting aimlessly through space that first time they met, spiralling rapidly at a rate he could never hope to possibly escape. Closing his eyes, he lets the events flow to the front of his mind. If Red is being nosy and peeking, Red will see them too. Maybe the lion will feel the warmth surrounding the memories, the unbridled affection Keith has for their time together. Where there had been in trouble, there had been red. They’d swathed the stars in red, bathed sunsets in it, chased horizons and pursued goals.  

There’s a sharp nip in his mind, terminating things, like a warning bite. Blinking open an eye, Keith pouts. He averts his attention towards tracing absent patterns into the stone.

“Red. I know…” Keith does know. He feels it consuming him now they’re so close. It’s an unbearable pressure, and that has to be tenfold for Red. They’re still invested in each other, in their growth, of course they are. “Even though we’re on the same team, we never - I... I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye.”

It had all happened so fast. The universe drove them hurriedly down new paths, tearing at the tethers and ripping open seams. Flying with Red had always been something special, truly exhilarating. The black lion’s energy is different. Not at all bad, just different. It’s a gear change, one that will take some getting used to. He can handle it, and he will. The black lion is wonderful, and Keith feels their relationship blossoming more and more they fly in tandem. Red makes a sound Keith never expects or wants to hear. Something inside him gives way, forcing him forward in an act of desperate consolation. They both need it.

“Hey. You’ll always be a good kitty, that will never change. Just because I have another buddy and fly a different lion doesn’t mean you’re not important to me.”

Keith rests his forehead against Red, hitching a breath. The paint is much cooler on that spot, accommodating to his touch. Red has always made exceptions for him. God. The ache grows, that yearning to be united with red in a way they cannot. The universe has other plans for them. Big burnishing plans they have a duty to fulfil and undertake. This isn’t just about them, or the team. Keith understands that, even if it cleaves a little too deeply into his soul and makes it bleed a little more than he lets on.

“So,” pulling back, Keith sniffles. “We sure had fun.”

Oh no. No. He can’t do this here, not how. A few rapid blinks merely irritate the moisture stinging his eyes. Red brings its head down, making them eye level. He’s seen through black’s eyes, been to the astral plane. But nothing prepares him for the shockwaves that course through him when he stares back at these old, yellow eyes. Their timeline crackles beneath his fingertips, unbridled energy swirling around them. Keith presses his forehead into Red’s face. The gentle nudge back has his breath hitching. For a moment, the pair linger, exchanging quiet stories. Images pass between them, memories of their wonderful journey together.

And then it’s over - but not gone. Not completely. Clearing his throat, Keith rakes a hand through his hair. He scrubs the tear-tracks from his face with his sleeve. There’s a lot of love here, it’s overwhelming.

“Are we, uh… we good?” _Please say we’re good. I just want to talk to you again, to be friends-_

Red nudges itself against Keith with gentle force - enough to pin him loosely to the rock. That’s definitely a good sign, the answer Keith had been desperate to get. No amount of wriggling can hope to free him from Red’s grip. A breathy laugh escapes Keith’s lips. That’s cut short as Shadow abruptly lands beside him on the rock. Red goes still, pulling back a fraction. Unsure, sceptical. The fire is dowsed. It’s not a rejection of Keith, but it still is absolutely agonising to witness. The growl bubbling in Shadow’s throat fizzles away as Red purrs. It’s a gesture of acceptance, kinship. The sound takes Keith aback. Eyes wide, he slings an arm around the wolf.

“Thanks, Red,” he murmurs reverently.

The red lion settles on the ground beside them quietly. From their landing spot, Lance approaches in the distance. Shadow suddenly looks far too innocent for a dimension-travelling space wolf, leaving Keith suspicious he may not in fact have been a good boy. It’s in that moment that Red absently tosses Keith a story, one involving Lance and an unfortunate trip. Following that, comes small glimpses of Lance’s less becoming moments in the red lion.

“Ha, you’re kidding. That really happened?” Lance is darting towards them, putting the puzzle pieces together and realising it's dangerous to leave them alone. Too late for that now. They're right into the danger zone. Keith the lion thief, deep in a conspiracy to corrupt all the lions, he hears Lance shout across the planes of Rekia. Smirking, Keith flicks his eyes back to Red whilst he has the chance. Their time alone may be limited, but they’re forever a team - a family.

“Tell me everything.”


End file.
